A blood pressure reading below 90/60 mmHg is generally considered low, but it only becomes a problem when it causes symptoms like dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting. If you’re feeling the effects of low blood pressure right now, there are several things you can do immediately to bring it up, plus longer-term strategies to keep it stable.
What to Do Right Now
If you’re feeling dizzy or lightheaded, the fastest response is to change your position. Sit or lie down immediately, and if possible, elevate your legs above the level of your heart. This redirects blood back toward your brain and can relieve symptoms within seconds.
If lying down isn’t an option, the American Heart Association recommends several physical counterpressure maneuvers you can do on the spot. Cross your legs and tense your thigh, abdominal, and buttock muscles simultaneously. If you’re able, lower yourself into a squat, which forces blood upward from your legs. You can also grip your hands together with interlocked fingers and pull your arms in opposite directions with full force, or clench your fists as hard as you can. These techniques work by compressing blood vessels in your lower body and core, temporarily pushing more blood to your brain.
Drink a full glass of water. Dehydration is one of the most common and easily reversible causes of low blood pressure, and even mild fluid loss can drop your numbers enough to cause symptoms. A salty snack alongside the water can help your body retain that fluid longer.
Preventing Drops When You Stand Up
The most common form of problematic low blood pressure happens when you move from lying down or sitting to standing. Your body normally compensates for gravity by tightening blood vessels in your legs, but sometimes that response is too slow or too weak.
Build a habit of getting up in stages. When you wake up in the morning, sit on the edge of the bed for a full minute before standing. Flex your calf muscles a few times while still sitting to get blood moving. When you do stand, squeeze your thigh and abdominal muscles, march in place, or rise onto your tiptoes before walking. These small actions prime your circulatory system and can prevent the sudden drop that leads to dizziness or fainting. A sudden fall of just 20 mmHg, say from 110 to 90 systolic, is enough to make you feel faint.
Dietary Changes That Help
Unlike people managing high blood pressure, you may actually benefit from increasing your salt intake. Medical guidelines for people with orthostatic disorders recommend anywhere from 2,400 to 4,000 mg of sodium per day, and some specialists suggest up to 4,800 mg for certain conditions. For context, the average American already consumes about 3,400 mg daily, so the increase may be modest. Adding salt to meals, choosing broth-based soups, or eating salted nuts and olives are simple ways to bump your intake. Talk to your doctor before significantly increasing sodium if you have any kidney or heart conditions.
Staying well hydrated matters just as much as salt. Aim for at least 8 to 10 cups of fluid daily, and more if you’re active or in hot weather.
Some people experience blood pressure drops specifically after eating, a condition called postprandial hypotension. Large meals high in carbohydrates are the usual trigger. The fix is straightforward: eat six smaller meals throughout the day instead of three large ones, and keep carbohydrate portions moderate at each sitting. If you notice you feel especially dizzy or weak within an hour or two of eating, this pattern is worth paying attention to.
Compression Garments
Waist-high compression stockings rated at 20 to 30 mmHg or 30 to 40 mmHg can make a real difference for people who deal with low blood pressure regularly. They work by preventing blood from pooling in your legs when you’re upright. Knee-high stockings are easier to put on but less effective, because a significant amount of blood pools in the thighs and abdomen. If you’re going to invest in compression gear, waist-high versions provide the most benefit.
Medications That Lower Blood Pressure
If you’re taking any prescription medications, they may be contributing to the problem. The drug classes most strongly linked to blood pressure drops include alpha blockers, beta blockers, tricyclic antidepressants, nitrates, erectile dysfunction medications, and antipsychotics. If your symptoms started or worsened after beginning a new medication, that connection is worth raising with your prescriber. Adjusting the dose or switching to a different drug in the same class can often resolve the issue without sacrificing the treatment you need.
Low Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
Blood pressure naturally falls during the first trimester and continues dropping into the second trimester. This is a normal part of pregnancy and typically doesn’t require treatment. You can manage mild symptoms with the same strategies that work for anyone: stay hydrated, get up slowly, and avoid standing for long periods. If low blood pressure is accompanied by bleeding or abdominal pain, that’s a different situation entirely and requires emergency care.
When Low Blood Pressure Is an Emergency
Most low blood pressure is uncomfortable but not dangerous. It crosses into emergency territory when it produces signs of shock: confusion or unusual drowsiness, a rapid heartbeat, cold and clammy skin, rapid breathing, or skin that looks pale or bluish, especially at the fingertips, lips, and earlobes. These signs mean your organs aren’t getting enough blood flow. Shock can result from severe bleeding, serious infections, or severe allergic reactions, and it requires immediate emergency care. If someone around you shows these symptoms, call emergency services right away and have them lie flat with their legs elevated while you wait.